ISLE FILE
Defending champ UH loses in WAC soccer first round
Advertiser Staff
| |||
 |
|
||
For the second time in three years, host Nevada knocked Hawai'i out of the Western Athletic Conference Soccer Championships in the first round.
The sixth-seeded Wolf Pack beat the defending champion Rainbow Wahine, 2-1, yesterday in Reno, Nev. It was UH's fourth straight loss at Mackay Stadium, dating to the 2006 WAC Tournament. Hawai'i lost 1-0 earlier this season.
Samantha Miller scored in the 29th minute to tie it 1-1 and Natalie Ratnavira gave Nevada (3-14-3) the lead for good in the 44th minute.
The third-seeded Rainbow Wahine, who finished the season at 8-7-4, scored first on a goal by senior midfielder Alexis Choi. On the play, senior midfielder Kristen Oshiro took the ball down the right side and crossed a pass to Choi on the left side of the box. Choi settled the ball, then used the left foot to beat Nevada goalkeeper Sarah Hunt for her first goal of the season.
The Wolf Pack turned up the intensity in the second half, outshooting Hawai'i 7-3. Senior goalkeeper Kori Lu kept the Rainbow Wahine in the game with seven saves.
VOLLEYBALL
BALANAY BLASTS 22 KILLS AS HPU UPSETS BYUH
Kelly Balanay scorched the nets for 22 kills on .571 hitting as Hawai'i Pacific handed Brigham Young-Hawai'i its first Pacific West Conference loss last night at St. Andrew's Priory gym.
Julia Gruszecka added 11 kills and 10 digs, and Tricia Yoshimura contributed a season-high 39 digs for the Sea Warriors (11-13, 7-6), who beat the conference-leading Seasiders, 17-25, 26-24, 25-18, 25-21. Shawntell Jones had nine kills and Natasha Bell added eight kills and 14 digs for HPU.
Losaline Faka'osi had 10 kills and 25 digs for BYUH, which fell to 16-6 overall and 12-1 in the PacWest. Agnes Tuilevuka added 11 kills, Tanza Buroker had 10, Melanie Manutai added 21 digs and LeeAnn Mapu contributed 38 assists, 11 digs and eight kills for the Seasiders.
BYUH led the fourth set 19-16 before HPU countered with a 4-1 run to tie it 20-20. Later, with HPU ahead 24-21, BYUH served and Yoshimura got her 39th dig of the match. The pass went to Kelly Keating, who set Balanay for the clincher.
TENNIS
BODE GAINS SEMIFINALS OF WILD-CARD QUALIFIER
Hendrik Bode, who plays No. 1 singles for Hawai'i Pacific, defeated former Sea Warrior teammate Daniel Llarenas, 6-0, 6-1, yesterday in the quarterfinals of a wild card qualifying tournament for the Honolulu Futures Tournament.
Bode will play Nail Khabiyev, of Brooklyn, N.Y., who beat Tyler Kelley, of Owings Mills, Md., 6-4, 6-3. The other semifinal matches Sydney Jim, of Sugar Land, Texas, against Matthew Short, of Beckenham, Great Britain.
The winner of the qualifying tournament earns a berth in the main draw of the Honolulu Futures, a USTA Pro Circuit event.
UH SOPHOMORE LAJOLA ELIMINATED AT WAIKOLOA
Chase Buchanan eliminated University of Hawai'i sophomore Dennis Lajola, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, yesterday in the round of 16 of the Waikoloa Futures USTA Pro Circuit Tournament at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel on the Big Island.
Lajola was the last player with Hawai'i ties still in contention.
